c. 1730-60 French Rococo Giardinetti Ring

A rare and early example of a giardinetti ring, from the first wave of creation, c. 1730-60 rococo period. The asymmetrical openwork ring face is set with rubies and diamonds in the form of a flower spray, the shoulders and shank chased with floral and foliate scrolls throughout. This ring can be identified as French due to the appearance and design of the smooth concave back, along with the quality of the chasing workmanship. The mix of diamond cuts—one triangular cut, two table cuts, one rose cut, and one square point cut—is a common feature for the earliest giardinetti rings, aligning with a period of transition during the first half of the 18th century, when older cuts co-existed with newer rose and early brilliant-type cuts. Fondly named giardinetti or giardinetto (Italian for “little garden”), rings of this type were widespread throughout Europe by the mid-18th century. Despite the Italian namesake, there’s no evidence of an Italian design origin: the earliest examples in museums and in the Koch collection are identified as West European; further examples from 1750s-on survive from England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and even Russia. Two period design drawings survive: one from the Parisian jeweler, J. H. Pouget (Traite des Pierres Precieuses), dated 1762; and a set from the London jeweler, Christian Taute, dated 1750. Sources of inspiration can be traced to the fascination with botany and popular horticulture that began in the 17th century. Growing interest in the cultivation and study of plants produced an abundance of botanical engravings, which provided artistic inspiration for the various floral-themed textiles, paintings, marquetry, wallpaper, and various decorative arts produced during this period. In jewelry, giardinetti-type designs can be found in rings, brooches, and hair ornaments. The floral motifs were particularly well-suited for rococo design, with its obsession for swirling asymmetry and stylized naturalism. In profile, form, and craftsmanship details, the present ring is a match to several c. 1730-60 giardinetti rings in the Victoria & Albert Museum (numbers 8550-1863, 8548-1863, 970-1871), as well as the Ashmolean Museum (see page 68 of Finger Rings by Diana Scarisbrich and Martin Henig). Other comparable rings include catalogue numbers 926, 927, 930, and 934 in the Koch collection; and another in the Zuker Family collection (ill. 348, p. 254 of Rings by Diana Scarisbrick); and yet another in the Hanns-Ulrich Haedeke collection (cat. 356, Schmuck by Hanns-Ulrich Haedeke).
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